A few months ago we were delighted to be recommended to help Clare and Michael with the final few months of their wedding preparations for their July wedding in 2011. When we came on board they had already selected their venue and most of their suppliers and they wanted our help to assist with some final suppliers and some details and to co-ordinate the logistics for the day in advance and be there on the day to help dress and finish the venue, co-ordinate all of the suppliers and to deal with any trouble shooting. So - that's what we did!
This wedding was a real pleasure to work with and we had quite a few "curve balls" as the bride put it after the wedding - but that's all part of what we are here for! We wanted to share with you just some of our favourite images from the day with the kind permission of the wonderful Ian Hamilton of IanH Photography who originally recommended our services to the bride and groom - so thank you Ian in more ways than one!
The day started for me with some early morning calls from the bride to sort out some last minute errands followed by a visit to the venue, the beautiful Italian Villa at Compton Acres Poole where we met with some of the suppliers who then set about putting together the stunning Medici Suite which would await Clare and Michael and their guests after their late afternoon Church service. The room was transformed with crisp white chair covers and tartan chair bows which were chosen by the bride's mother and attended to beautifully by mother and daughter team Sandy and Debbie from The Card and Favour Company. We were asked by the bride to assist last minute with some reception stationery requirements and we were pleased to recommend the services of Emma Farwell Designs who we work with regularly. Emma made the beautiful table plan and table name cards, which were all named after castles, at very short notice and did a superb job and they really helped to finish the tables. I then went to the house to assist the Bride with some last minute adjustments to her stunning Suzanne Neville dress and make sure that the girls were all well watered with bubbly before they left for the ceremony - always such an important task!
Over at the Church of the Sacred Heart Richmond Hill Bournemouth I met with the groomsmen to help with the final touches - buttonholes and final minor adjustments plus some discussions with the Father in advance of the start of the ceremony. This ceremony was usual as a Registrar was also required for this service but was cutting it a little fine following a delay with the previous wedding so a little chasing was required!
The Church looked beautiful - awaiting the bridal party and their guests
Although it looks like it - I don't think I was being told off by Father...
Before the ceremony whilst the guests were eagerly assembling for the service and again after the ceremony as the bride and groom departed in their beautiful vintage Rolls- Royce family friends greeted the guested in true Scottish style with the bagpipes which helped to make this even more of a grand occasion. Well done guys - you did a grand job! You were to be heard all around Bournemouth Town!
The guests were gently ushered into taxis outside the Church following a slight issue with a broken down coach but the bride and groom were none the wiser (well for a while anyway!) and everyone then made their way over to The Italian Villa for to have a leisurely mingle in the Italian gardens with plenty of pink Lanson and delicious canapes courtesy of Beales Gourmet - the resident caterers.
Stunning floral displays where the ever superb work of Helen of Flowers by Helen Ffoulkes-Jones
After enjoying the sweet music of a string quartet in the Gardens and lots of chat and congratulations for the bride and groom guests were greeted into the Villa where a feast awaited them. Guests dined on layers of vine-ripened tomatoes, buffalo milk mozzarella and avocado with basil oil followed by seared breast of corn fed chicken with pancetta and lemon and lime cheesecake. Yum! Speaking to the guests after the wedding breakfast we were told of so many compliments for the food and the service for this very special wedding with such a wonderful family.
The groom the other speakers of the day were keen to start their speeches pre-wedding breakfast so this was the order of the day and I have to say these speeches were some of the best wedding speeches I have ever heard - and I have heard a lot of wedding speeches! They were filled with humour and sentiment and emotion and there genuinely was not a dry eye in the house from the guests and the staff on duty!
Clare and Michael enjoying the speeches
The cake was a delicious champagne and strawberry delight with a beautiful topper which was such a likeness of Clare and Michael! Bringing out their fun side and gracing the creation by the wonderful Lisa Notley
Clare and Michael
Guests completed the night with a traditional Caleigh band and danced the night away. This was a wedding which was an absolute pleasure to help with. It was full of lovely guests, family and most of all such a wonderful bride and groom. There were things which needed to be resolved last minute but it was a pleasure to do and it meant that Clare and Michael had some unusual twists which made it all the more enjoyable! The Best Mens' speech was conducted standing rather than seated and we moved all the guests to another part of the Villa for a slideshow of hilarious images. The kilts and the bagpipes added to the real Scottish feel of the day and we used different styles of music through the drinks reception in the gardens and then piano during the wedding breakfast with popular songs to please the Scottish and Irish guests.
Thank you Clare and Michael for choosing us to help with your day. Huge congratulations to you both.
xx
Testimonial we received from Clare and Michael after the wedding:
"Dear Melanie. Thank you so much for all your efforts for our wedding. You were amazing! We did our best to try to thrown you a few curve balls…the coach breaking down, the wrong colour flowers, drinking too much champagne but you handled them so calmly and quietly and with excellent results. You truly where instrumental in making our day so wonderful we really cannot thank you enough or recommend you more highly. Lots of Love Clare and Michael"
If you would like more information about our wedding planning services please take a look at our website. and call or email us to let us know about your requirements.
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